Blogs and Commentary

Duke Goalie's Play Got Lost Amidst Fireworks

Duke sophomore goalie Kyle Turri made a combined 27 saves at
Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, where the Blue Devils won
the last two games to complete a championship season. And somehow,
Turri was left off of the all-tournament team.

The Blue Devils certainly were an offensive machine in 2013,
first and foremost. Duke, with its army of scoring threats and
faceoff beast Brendan Fowler lighting the fire all spring, were
ranked most of the past two months in the Division I top five in
scoring. This was not a team that played to its defense. The Blue
Devils were too busy pushing the ball on offense and daring teams
to beat them in shootouts.

Turri allowed 9.6 goals per game and saved just 49.8 percent of
the shots he faced in 2013. Those numbers aren't going to win any
goalie All-American recognition. But the kid came up with enough
stops to finish the year with a 14-1 record. And he came up large
at times in Philly.

In Duke's 16-14, semifinal win over Cornell, a game the Blue
Devils led comfortably throughout the second half before a Big Red
rally made it appear closer than it really was, Turri was good all
day and stellar at times. He made 16 saves, including four in each
quarter. Then, in the 16-10 over Syracuse in the title game, Turri
got shaken up early, as Duke spotted the Orange a 6-1, lead early
in the second quarter. Yet Turri still regrouped to make eight
saves in the first half, before making three in a second half
dominated by Duke possessions and scoring.

When the all-tournament team was announced, it was puzzling to
see Turri's name missing. All he did was play a key role in pushing
the Blue Devils to the final. All he did was become the last goalie
standing.